The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture – AFAC was founded in 2007 through the initiative of Arab cultural activists as an independent foundation to support individual artists, writers, researchers, and intellectuals, as well as organizations from the Arab region working in the field of arts and culture.
Since its launch, AFAC’s programs have steadily expanded to cover cinema, photography, visual and performing arts, creative and critical writing, music, and documentary film, in addition to funding research, training, and cultural events.
AFAC’s work is divided into five strategic areas: providing grants, developing training programs, building and sharing knowledge, broadening the pool of supporters for the arts, and cultivating an appreciation for and engagement with contemporary arts and culture productions by connecting them with audiences.
AFAC’s vision is to build a flourishing cultural and artistic scene across the Arab region that contributes to establishing open and vibrant societies, where young and seasoned voices engage with each other in the wake of the massive transformations being witnessed by the region.
Active in 22 Arab countries and the diaspora, AFAC supports annually around 200 individuals and institutions working in arts and culture. In fifteen years, AFAC has provided over 2000 grants totaling around $40 million, reached millions of audiences, processed over 20,000 applications, and worked with around 400 readers and jurors. AFAC is committed to strengthening philanthropy for the arts and to working with the private sector to promote the spirit of entrepreneurship in the field of cultural and artistic production.
Based in Beirut, AFAC works with artists and organizations all over the Arab region and the rest of the world.
